1 My grandmother used to make popcorn for me when I visited her. She would take out a heavy cooking pan. She would put bacon grease in the bottom of the pan. Then she would put about a quarter cup of popcorn kernels into the pan. She'd add a little salt, put a lid on the pan, and put it on the old stove. When she heard the first kernels begin to pop, she would take the pan off the stove and shake it. Back onto the heat the pan would go. Soon the popping became quicker and louder. Before long, the puffed up kernels were pushing the lid off the pan. We would sit on the old front porch swing, watch lightning bugs, and eat our popcorn.2 My mother made popcorn in a more modern way. Her popcorn pan had a crank built into the lid. She would put oil, popcorn, and salt into her pan. Instead of shaking the pan, she would just turn the crank to move the popping kernels around. The popcorn was still good. I still liked curling up on the couch with my mom and dad to enjoy this warm, buttery treat.3 My children must feel neglected. Their mother just puts a bag of prepackaged corn into the microwave oven. Two minutes later, they have the popcorn, fresh out of the bag. They can thank a man named Percy Spencer for that. He is credited with the invention of the microwave oven, and he wasn't even trying.